肯尼迪政府与1962年台湾海峡危机

20世纪60年代初期,正当中国大陆面临着严重的经济困难时,台湾的国民党当局错误地估计了形势,认为这是实现其“反攻大陆”梦想的有利时机。围绕“反攻”问题,美国政府与国民党之间进行了激烈的较量,最终迫使国民党放弃了这一冒险企图。美国政府之所以反对,主要是出于自身利益的考虑。现实使美国决策者深深地认识到,新中国是不可能用武力推翻的,国民党的反攻行动没有成功的任何可能,而一旦失败,则美国也难逃干系。此次台湾海峡危机体现了美国、中国大陆和中国台湾三方之间错综复杂的关系,从一个侧面揭示出美国政府僵硬的对华政策已陷入了进退两难的境地。

The Kennedy Administration and the Taiwan Straits Crisis in 1962

In the early 1960s, China was suffering serious economic difficulties. The GMD regime in Taiwan misunderstood the situation and thought that was the best opportunity to fulfill its dream of returning to the mainland by force. The Kennedy administration negotiated with GMD regime about this issue for a long time and finally forced it to give up. The American decision was based on the need of itself interests. The reality made the American decision-makers recognize that new China government was solid and couldn't be overthrown by outside force, and there was no possibility of success if GMD tried to return to the mainland by force. The United States would be involved in the operation once it failed. This crisis disclosed the complicated relations among the United States, China mainland and Taiwan, and also revealed that the United States China policy was facing a dilemma.